Federal Health Insurance Marketplace Reports Surge in Enrollments

SUNDAY, Dec. 29, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- After a disastrous
introduction back in October, the federal government's
HealthCare.gov insurance coverage website saw a surge of
enrollments in December, government officials said Sunday.

More than 1.1 million people enrolled in a qualified health plan
through the federally operated marketplace, or exchange, from Oct.
1 through Dec. 24. More than 975,000 of those enrollments came in
December, Marilyn Tavenner, administrator for the Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services, said in a blog post.

"Our HealthCare.gov enrollment nearly doubled in the days before the Jan. 1 coverage deadline compared to the first few weeks of the month. December enrollment so far is over seven times that of October and November. In part, this was because we met our marks on improving HealthCare.gov: the site supported 83,000 concurrent users on Dec. 23 alone," Tavenner said.

"We expect to see enrollment ramp up over time, much like other historic implementation efforts we've seen in Massachusetts and Medicare Part D," the federal government's prescription drug program, she added.

Sunday's announcement made no mention of the 14 exchanges that
are run by states, independent of the federal website, as part of
the Affordable Care Act, the Obama Administration's massive
overhaul of health care. Some states -- such as California,
Connecticut, New York and Washington -- have said their websites
are operating well, while other states have encountered
problems.

It's also not clear how many of the new enrollees are young
adults. Their financial participation through insurance premiums is
considered crucial to the success of the Affordable Care Act,
sometimes referred to as Obamacare. Young adults typically have
fewer health insurance claims than older adults, who tend to become
sicker as they age. So premiums from younger adults are needed to
help fund the program.

Sunday's announcement also marked some rare positive news about
the rollout of the insurance enrollment process. HealthCare.gov was
plagued for weeks with computer glitches that frustrated consumers
who weren't able to sign up for coverage.

As recently as Tuesday, Dec. 24, the Obama Administration once
again extended the deadline for people to register for health
insurance coverage on Healthcare.gov. The extension followed a
24-hour "grace period" that was granted on Monday, Dec. 23 --
beyond the original enrollment deadline of Monday, Dec. 23 at 11:59
p.m. -- for benefits that would take effect Jan. 1.

In most states, Monday, Dec. 23 had been the deadline for
selecting a plan that would take effect on the first day of the new
year.

Under the Affordable Care Act, most adults will pay a $95
penalty -- or 1 percent of income -- in 2014 if they don't have
health insurance coverage. The penalty rises to $695 -- or 2
percent of income -- by 2016.

To avoid the penalty, people must enroll in a plan by Feb. 15 or
qualify for an exemption from the penalty.

If you're in the market for health insurance, here are some key
questions and dates to keep in mind:

Can I enroll after Jan. 1?

Open enrollment for 2014 runs through March 31. If you buy
coverage, say, on Feb. 10, it won't kick in until March 1. If you
wait until March 31, your policy will take effect May 1.

There is no deadline for signing up for Medicaid or the
Children's Health Insurance Program.

If I enrolled in a private health-exchange plan by Dec. 23, when
is my premium due?

Recently, the federal government directed insurers to accept
payment by Dec. 31 and encouraged health plans to push the deadline
further.

Consumers who signed up by Dec. 23 and pay the first month's
premium by Jan. 10 will have coverage on Jan. 1, the industry group
America's Health Insurance Plans announced this month.

However, the federal government cautions that not all health
insurers are extending the payment deadline, and some may require
payment on or before Dec. 31, 2013.

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.